Cast set for pre-Broadway run of Britney Spears musical Once Upon a One More Time

Once Upon a One More Time will stage its world premiere at Chicago's James M. Nederlander Theatre ​from April 14 through May 17, 2020.

We've been driven Crazy by the casting news for the eagerly anticipated pre-Broadway world premiere engagement of Once Upon a One More Time, featuring the songs of multi-platinum selling recording artist Britney Spears!

Scheduled to run at the James M. Nederlander Theatre in Chicago from April 14 through May 17, 2020 (with an official opening on April 30), the cast of Once Upon a One More Time is led by "Great News" star Briga Heelan (as Cinderella) and "American Idol" favorite Justin Guarini (as Prince Charming), alongside BAFTA nominee Simon Callow (as The Narrator), Tony Award nominee Emily Skinner (as Stepmother), Brooke Dillman (as The O.F.G [Original Fairy Godmother]), Aisha Jackson (as Snow White), Mimi Scardulla (as Stepsister Belinda), Tess Soltau (as Stepsister Betany), Ashley Chiu (as Sleeping Beauty), Wonu Ogunfowora (as Rapunzel), Allie Trimm (as Little Mermaid), and Morgan Weed (as Princess Pea). 

The ensemble features Matt Allen, Belinda Allyn, Viva Boresi, Stephen Brower, Jennifer Florentino, Selene Haro, Joshua Daniel Johnson, Amy Hillner Larsen, Raymond J Lee, Ryan Steele, Korinne Tetlow, Salisha Thomas, Matthew Tiberi, Josh Tolle, Kevin Trinio Perdido, and Diana Marie Vaden.

Synopsis: "Once Upon A Time... Cinderella, Snow White, and the other fairytale princesses gather for their book club, when - oh, baby baby! - a rogue fairy godmother drops The Feminine Mystique into their corseted laps, spurring a royal revelation: could there really be more to life than bird-made dresses and true love's kiss? With an original story written by Jon Hartmere - set to the songs of the Princess of Pop herself, Britney Spears - Once Upon a One More Time weaves such hits as "Oops! I Did It Again", "Stronger," "Toxic" and "Lucky", into an uproarious, irreverent look at the towering challenges, charms, and choices involved in finding that most elusive of endings: Happily Ever After."

Britney Spears previously commented: "I'm so excited to have a musical with my songs - especially one that takes place in such a magical world filled with characters that I grew up on, who I love and adore. This is a dream come true for me!"

The previously announced director Tony Award nominee Kristin Hanggi (currently represented Off-Broadway by Rock of Ages) has now left the production, as choreographers and MTV Video Music Award nominees Keone & Mari Madrid have now additionally taken on directorial duties. The creative team also features scenic design by Anna Fleischle, costume & hair design by Loren Elstein, lighting design by Sonoyo Nishikawa, sound design by Andrew Keister, projection design by Tony Award nominee Sven Ortel, and wig design by Ashley Rae Callahan. In addition, five-time Tony Award nominee David Leveaux serves a s Creative Consultant for the production.

Britney Spears is an icon of the music industry and has sold approx. 150 million records worldwide to date. She burst onto the music scene in 1998 with "...Baby One More Time" and has since released a total of nine studio albums (six of them debuting at #1 on the U.S. Billboard Charts). She has garnered a host of accolades, including a Grammy Award and seven further Grammy nominations. Her many hits include "(You Drive Me) Crazy," "Oops! I Did It Again," "Stronger," "I'm a Slave 4 U," "Toxic," "Gimme More," "Womanizer," "Hold It Against Me," "Work Bitch," among many others.

Venue and dates for the upcoming Broadway premiere will be announced in the coming months.

^{(Briga Heelan photo by Catie Laffoon / Simon Callow photo by Kevin Davis)}